Katë language
| Katë | |
|---|---|
| Kati, Kâmkata-vari, Kâmkata-mumkṣta-vari | |
| Native to | Afghanistan, Pakistan |
| Region | Nuristan, Kunar, Chitral |
Native speakers | 150,000 (2011-2017) |
Early forms | |
| Dialects | |
| Arabic script (Nastaliq) | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Either:bsh – Katixvi – Kamviri |
| Glottolog | kati1270 |
| ELP | Kati |
| Linguasphere | 58-ACB-a |
Katë is classified as Definitely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger | |
Katë, also known as Kati or Kamkata-vari, is a Nuristani language. It is a dialect continuum comprising three separate dialects spoken mostly in Afghanistan, with additional speakers in the Chitral District of Pakistan deriving from recent migrations a century ago. The Kata-vari (comprising Western and Northeastern) and Kamviri (comprising Southeastern) dialects are sometimes erroneously reckoned as two separate languages, but according to linguist Richard Strand they form one language.
The Katë language is the largest Nuristani language, spoken by 40,000–60,000 people, from the Kata, Kom, Mumo, Kshto and some smaller Black-Robed tribes in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The most used alternative names for the language are Kati or Bashgali.
A descriptive grammar of Katë was written by Jakob Halfmann in 2024.